Pistachio Cilantro Chimichurri

Chimichurri Sauce is one of the very best ways to add restaurant-quality flavor to grilled seafood, meat, rice and even grilled veggies. It's simple to prepare and requires no special skills or equipment, just the right balance of flavors and textures to elevate your dinner. Keep reading for all the secrets!

Any day of the week you can open my refrigerator door and find at least two flavor-packed, homemade sauces among the sea of condiment bottles. Probably this Argentinian Chimichurri or Italian Salsa Verde, along with Ginger Scallion Oil.

There's just no better way to turn a ho-hum weeknight dinner into a masterpiece than with a healthy dose of fresh herb and pistachio chimichurri.

And be sure to save half of your sauce to make Chimichurri Salmon or Grilled Shrimp with Chimichurri tomorrow!

Ingredients for Argentinian Chimichurri:

Before we get to the step by step instructions, a few notes about the ingredients:

Herbs: fresh, flat leaf parsley is the traditional herb in chimichurri. My take on the classic sauce includes equal parts cilantro, adding a light, citrusy note to the sauce. And Argentinian chimichurri wouldn't be complete without a pinch of dried oregano.

Pistachios: our favorite nut adds toasty richness to the herb sauce, rounding out the flavors for this condiment.

Chilis: I use 1 small diced red chili (usually a red jalapeño) in this sauce. Omit for a completely mild sauce, or start with a smaller amount. Substitute a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Garlic and red onion: diced fine, these alliums bring metric tons of flavor to the party. Substitute white or yellow onions, or the whites of scallions.

Oil, citrus and vinegar: orange zest and juice adds the perfect touch of sweetness to balance the spice and acid of our sauce. Red wine vinegar is my go-to vinegar for chimichurri, along with a quality extra virgin olive oil.

Full ingredient list and measurements included in printable recipe card below.

How to Make Chimichurri Sauce

1. Prep and combine ingredients

Dice fresh herbs, red onion, chili and garlic. Combine diced flat leaf parsley, cilantro, red onion, chili and garlic along with red wine vinegar, citrus zest and juice in a bowl.

Add olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2. Serve and enjoy

Set aside for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors build before serving.

Serving Suggestions for Homemade Chimichurri

Seafood: this herbaceous, zingy sauce is perfect over Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Seared Salmon, Grilled Haddock or Broiled Cod.

Meat: my husband's favorite way to serve (and consume) this nutty chimichurri is over grilled steak with Crispy Roasted Baby Potatoes, or even over a rotisserie chicken.

Salad: use it as a dressing over Gazpacho Salad or drizzle on simple Grilled Asparagus.

Rice and grains: stir a spoonful or two of chimichurri into steamed rice or Brown Rice and Quinoa.

Eggs: just like my Italian Salsa Verde, I love drizzling chimichurri over eggs on toast in the morning. The very best way to start the day.

How long does Argentinian chimichurri last?

Keep chimichurri in a jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Leftover chimichurri can be frozen in 1-2 tablespoon cubes for future use.

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